Digital Design Inspires Poetry

Poetry loves discovering things. You're not necessarily knowing where you're going when you start a poem.   

-Catherine Graham, award-winning poet and novelist

Nor do I know what my gardens will become when my seeds are planted. 

-CVarsalona

April is a bridge

gentle connector

from winter to spring

renewer of life

restorer of earth

as a troubadour

of earth's whisperings, 

I speak of spring seeds

a gallery of

poetic writing

with a pen in hand

artists, poets work

words flow like water

nature finds its beat

ensemble rises

©CVarsalona, 2026

While I did not know what my National Poetry Month Project would be, the power of patience and the wonder of nature helped me find my connection. Last year's journey felt like a continuous rollercoaster ride. My emotions still roar with fear and the anxiety of a wild ride. The onset of April and the glory of Easter Sunday blended together, offering me a golden key to a quiet renewal of life and an awakening of my soul and senses. I embrace April as a gentle month of hope, rejuvenation, and a soft reset to life.

april's "soft reset"

cultivates new beginnings

seasonal refresh

©CVarsalona, 2026

I Invite Friends, Poets, Writers, Artists, Photographers, and Students

Join me during National Poetry Month. Offer your creativity to embellish my Spring Seeds Grace April Gallery. Add an original spring poem, nature photo, inspirational quote, or artwork to my new padlet. Click here. For a sample of one of my spring galleries, click here to see my 2016 Spring Seeds Gallery of Artistic Expressions. You may find one of your poems there.

Thank you to our Poetry Friday host, Jone Rush MacCulloch, who shares her new book, "Tilt", midterm videos from her TWU students, and her original poem, "How to Write a Poem". In addition, Jone is hosting a Pop-Up Poetry Salon tomorrow and shares the beginnings of the poetry community's Progressive Poem. Stop by to enjoy her bounty of gifts and read what other Poetry Friday poets are offering. 

Let your imagination take you on a journey throughout the 2026 National Poetry Month.

Silence's Sacred Space

blazing artwork

silently layers the sky

nature's gift of gold

©CVarsalona, 2025

For this month's Spiritual Journey Thursday, our creative poet, artist, librarian host, Jone Rush MacCulloch, offers a quote from Thomas Merton, "The world of men has forgotten the joys of silence, the peace of solitude, which is necessary to some extent, for the fullness of human living!". Following that, Jone poses a question, "What are you doing to promote periods of silence each day?" 

The world is saturated with chatter that encourages loud noise regarding political, environmental, financial, family concerns, etc. I sometimes feel overwhelmed by the news and humanity's lack of kindness across the world. Often, I slip and stumble when grief sweeps over me. Internal noises lead to sadness. Yet, I know that "For God alone my soul waits in silence" (Psalm 62.1) Nature brings the essence of love from the Creator. With thanks, I lean into the beauty of the land, the flight of birds, and glorious garden grounds wondering if is this enough for me to remain present in still moments pondering what life will bring on my spiritual journey. Some days seem dark. Restlessness sets in and shuts out stillness. I reach out to nature to nurture my soul so I can find silence's the sacred space where I can contemplate in peace. 

I sit here now listening to the sounds of silence, feeling the rise of breath and the exhale of what does not belong. This sacred space refreshes me and lets me contemplate about reaching the fullness of human living. I realize that I need to embrace silence more and revere it as a sacred space for inner growth.

In the book, "Healing After Loss, daily meditations for working through grief" by Martha W. Hickman, December 4ths' meditation speaks of silence. The ending thought brought clarity. "In the flurry of the next couple of weeks, I will try to spend a few moments each day in prayerful silence-my own particular stay against the emotional and physical tumult of these days." I thank Jama Rattigan  for sending me this book that helps me slowly move beyond loss and friends that have walked this journey before me. 

My Closing Thought on Silent Meditation: 

• I will continue to write and provide time to ponder on how to remain calm in the midst of disquiet. 
• I will quietly await for peace to settle in my soul.

 

The image above is a magical scene I

photographed before we moved to Virginia. 

It has an ethereal quality reminding me.

Thank you Jone, for the creative, amazing Holiday Poem Swap she sent me. Thanks to Tabatha Yeatts for organizing the Holiday Poem Swap.

More will be shared in the future.

☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁☁

I am also offering this blog post for the Poetry Friday Roundup hosted by a talented poet, author, and cellist, Irene Latham.  You can find Irene's blog at Live Your Poem where she is sharing information on her Open Call submission, a Barbara Crooker poem, and offers her new poem, "ArtSpeak Picasso.

autumn leaves

flitter-flutter in silence

winter's coming

©CVarsalona, 2025

Hallow's Eve

It was the sign of the times. The Wraiths' Feast came to be. Collegiate voice lifters journeyed through the Witches' Passage to the nearest Wailing Walls. With Lantern Haze devices, they slowly proceeded onward. Under a darkened sky, they listened for Midnight Murmurs from Gossamer Ghosts who enjoyed lurking on the bewitching night of Halloween. 

Are you ready for a ghostly poems prompted by our creative Poetry Friday host, Jone Rush MacCulloch? Jone offers a list of Halloween prompts to create a variety of poems by our community of writer-poets.  What I did was take her poems and introduce them in a short tale that is partially true from my college days with additional support from Halloween photos I took while living in Long Island.           

⇩

DON'T BE AFRAID!

Howling whisperers

screech and whimper.

With bated breath,

 Halloweeners creep quietly,

slowly inching their way

throughout the cemetery

until they notice

a formidable sign.

"Yikes!"  Do you see a conclave before us?

Ghastly, bellowing ghosts circle.

Whose Moolinght Graveyard is this?

I think I know, but

not all agree.

Some friends step back,

tingling like scared cats,

Others mesmerized by the Phantom Lullaby.

Howling screams, frozen in time, rise. Stop!

Something lurks by the Velvet Coffin.

"Let it be known", so it is said.

"There is something haunting

in the light of the moon."

Without delay, scratching voices

rise from the ground.

We quickly skedaddle

under the light of the evening moon,

before sirens chase us out.

©CVarsalona, 2025

Just Remember:

Beware of what lurks at night on Hallow's Eve.

@CVarsalona, free verse, Halloween 2025

@CVarsalona digital artwork 

Follow the light of the moon to Jone's Poetry Friday Halloween Roundup.

You never know what you will find.

Poetry Peeps were invited to the Poetry Sisters challenge for October! A burning haibun arrived from the ashes of my opening prose poem. As the Poetry Princesses noted, the burning haibun is not the "old regular haibun. It highlights the internal landscape of memory and within them, something somewhere must BURN." 

(Please enjoy visiting other poets who enjoyed creating burning haibuns: Tricia, Sara, Laura, Mary Lee, Liz, and Michelle K. Check Tanita's blog to see if more people joined in.)

In prose, I present Hallow's Eve.

It was the sign of the times. The Wraiths' Feast came to be. Collegiate voice lifters journeyed through the Witches' Passage to the nearest Wailing Walls. With Lantern Haze devices, they slowly proceeded onward. Under a darkened sky, they listened for Midnight Murmurs from Gossamer Ghosts who enjoyed lurking on the bewitching night of Halloween. 

Erasure #1. Result after the blackout technique:

it's time. Wraths' Feast came. Voice lifted. Journey with lanterns slowly proceeded. Darkened sky listened. Midnight ghosts lurking on Halloween. 

Erasure #2. Burnout leads to a haiku.

It's time wraith came

voices journey listen

night ghosts lurk

  Draft CVarsalona, Halloween 2025, burning haibun

Oh, what fun it is to capture Halloween Eve, especially since this year I am homebound with a fractured ankle. My boot and walker chair are my costume for a chilly night at home.

Please understand that I have been on slow-go movement since last week.

Navigating Reality: A Landay Poem for Richard

In the quiet space under the moon

I listen for your whispered thoughts from heaven sent

soon spring's veiled mornings will shower love

will your voice find mine on the edge of dampened darkness

my heart longs for one lasting moment

of blessed peace sweeping through our home we built together

©CVarsalona, 2025, landay poem

💕

What is a Landay Poem? A landay is a traditional Afghan poetic form consisting of a two-line couplet, often sung or recited. It's an oral tradition, primarily, associated with Pashtun women, and frequently anonymous. The first line typically has nine syllables, and the second has thirteen. Landays explore themes of love, grief, war, nature, beauty, or death. (AI) 

This is my first landay poem. I found this format at Amy Ludwig Vanderwater's blog site and also at Writer's Digest. I thought it would fit my thoughts, so I chose to write three couplets with themes stretching from love, nature, and grief. 

Love: When moving to Virginia from Long Island, New York, we searched many areas to find our retirement home. The intent was to live close to my daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren. We wanted a new home built to our expectations in a small community of kindhearted, family-based neighbors. We were blessed to find both. 

Nature: Gainesville, Virginia, is a beautiful area close to Washington, DC and the countryside. Since we enjoyed our spacious gardens in Long Island, we decided to build a few on our new property. Each season, we added a few more plants, flowers, and bushes. Since 2021, nature has nurtured us. 

Grief: I often say life is fragile and uncertain. Since last May, the thought became a reality. We only had less than a month to care for Richard. Writing offered me time to empty the sadness inside. The inspirational quote by Mahmoud Darwish, "I see poetry as spiritual medicine", provided an anchor for me on my spiritual journey. 

Richard's time on earth has passed. The Funeral Mass had a lasting effect on our family but now is not the last time for the family to celebrate Richard's life. The cards, gifts, meals, masses, prayers, and listeners are coming our way to soothe the bereavement period. 

Thank you for joining me as I remember memorable parts of my 48 years of marriage. This summer, I will cherish our wedding day, followed by the first day I met my husband. I appreciate everyone who acknowledges Richard's life, friendships, and love for family. 

I send my thoughts to this week's Poetry Friday Roundup host, Jone Rush MacCulloch, a dear writing friend, poet, author, and artist who appreciates love, nature, family, and writing as much as I do.

Thank you Jone, for adding a beautiful spring poem to your Sunday Solace blog. I wrote a quick haiku to honor your photographic skills.

tulips flood the field

spring winds enjoy sashaying

praise nature's moments

©CVarsalona, 2025, haiku quick write

Photo by Jone Rush MacCulloch

I add my landay poem and haiku to my 2025 National Poetry Month Project.

Book Review of Clara's Kooky Compendium of Thimblethoughts and Wonderfuzz

It's holiday time and most people are out shopping for just-right presents. Gift-giving is always a special way of celebrating with family, friends, and those in need. Children become excited at this time of year. My 7-year-old granddaughter, Sierra, recently asked "When will we open our presents from you?" One of her gifts was already given. Of course, it was a book! She enjoys reading and helping me decide if a book is one other children will love. Let's see what intrigues her this month.

Clara's Kooky Compendium of ThimbleThoughts and Wonderfuzz is an amazing, kooky, wonder-filled new book that has become Sylvia Vardell's and Janet Wong's gift to the KidLit world. Sylvia noted that this book was selected by the Children's Book Council as a "Hot off the Press" book for October. The illustrations by Frank Ramspott are everywhere throughout the book, adding another layer of excitement for readers. Let's take a look inside the book.

Sierra and I think highly of this book. It is much more than just a poetry anthology. It is a compendium filled with a storyline, 150 poems, fun illustrations, a journal, and topics children, along with teachers, librarians, and parents will enjoy. 

Children might wonder why this fabulous book is called a compendium, a word that my granddaughter certainly did not know before reading the book.

Compilation

Of 

Many

Poems

Entry space for journaling

fuN characters,

Doodles created by the illustrator along with

other Illustrations that dazzle

Upbeat poetry, ThimbleThoughts, and

Magnetic Wonderfuzz to broaden a child's knowledge.

©CVarsalona, 2024

Sierra and I are intrigued by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong's book which starts off telling the tale of a 4th-grade girl who brings poetry to life with a multitude of small visual thoughts, known as ThimbleThoughts, and interesting facts that cause Clara to pause and wonder (Wonderfuzz). Beyond that, Clara introduces us to her family, pets, friends, neighbors, school, and her teacher, Mrs. Booker. An interesting two-page spread provides Exercise #4: Word Bank followed by the poem Wonder-er by Irene Latham.

Recently, Sierra and I began our journey with Clara. The timing was right because the end of "Fall is the season for cozy hugs and warm hot chocolate mugs." Sierra is a curious child and a phenomenal reader who told me that she not only likes this book but finds the ThimbleThoughts and WonderFuzz interesting. She is eager to add her comments and fun-filled writing to follow in Clara's footsteps. 

Thanks to Sylvia and Janet for bringing to life not only Clara's willingness to share the 150 poems written by the Pomelo Poets but also a teacher's guide for the exercise part of the book. You can sample pages at the Amazon listing here. There are downloadable pages to guide teachers, librarians, and parents through the exercise pages at Poemelo Books. Click here.

I am delighted to be one of the Pomelo Poets whose poem is published in this amazing book. I stand beside many of my Poetry Friday friends who are also Poemlo Poets. My passion is baking and from the first correspondence with Janet Wong, I wrote that I love the art of baking. As I created my draft poems, I recalled memories of baking with my Nonnie when I was younger than Sierra.  A children's poem, "Would You Like To Bake?" evolved. It can be found on page 83 of Clara's Kooky Compendium of ThimbleThoughts and Wonderfuzz.

Can you guess what topic is located on the opposite page of mine?

"Who 8 The Candy? by Linda Picaro Tarantino.

I do love candy, especially dark chocolate.

I was pleased to see that Clara also wrote poems. I liked one called A Tornando's In My Tummy. I think the children who will read Clara's Kooky Compendium of ThimbleThoughts and Wonderfuzz will also enjoy seeing a child's poem besides adult poems. 

Are you interested? Maybe this book will be one for Santa's List. I saw him last week and he was excited for children to add special books to their lists. Next year, Clara's Kooky Compendium of ThimbleThoughts and Wonderfuzz will be part of the Cookies With Santa's reading section. Sierra may become one of Santa's little elf readers. Ho-Ho-Ho!

Some Families Join Santa at Cookies With Santa 2024

"A book is a gift you can open again and again." - Garrison Keillor

Happy Holidays To All!

🎄

It's time for me to add my post to Jone Rush MacCullock's Poetry Friday Roundup and Poetry Solstice Party. I shall also spread the news of this fabulous book across social media (my gift to readers).

Growth on the Spiritual Journey

Springtime offers verdant landscapes with lush settings. It is a time of growth, rebirth, and rejuvenation as Earth reawakens from its winter slumber. The month of May opens the door to our Spiritual Journey host, Jone Rush MacCulloch's, theme on growth.

There is environmental growth and personal, self-growth. The digitized photo of a day with nature is shown below. I distinctly remember walking the grounds of Westbury Gardens, a Long Island historical site, with a euphoric feeling.  Nature was aglow. the grounds were manicured and the gardens blooming. 

What did I learn about springtime from this memorable day? 

• Walking in nature can become a ritual that helps boost energy while developing a positive mindset
• When the earth is blooming there is a sense of calm
• Quiet time helps to get to know yourself 
• Rather than attempting to reach the final draft of ourselves, we should find the courage to keep revising  -Susan David

News:

• I started an abracadabra, magic nine poem for my Poetry Parade Padlet. 
• I will add two wonderful artistic expressions sent via mail from Marcie Flinchum Atkins and Irene Latham. 
• Carol Labuzzetta mailed me her stunning book, Picture Perfect Poetry: An Anthology of Ekphrastic Poetry for Students. I am proud and honored to have three ekphrastic poems and another nature photograph published in her book

You can still send me your image poems or other offerings for the Poetry Parade Padlet, my National Poetry Month project.

Thank you, Jone Rush MacCulloch, for hosting Spiritual Journey with the May theme, growth, for our community of writers. I also thank Buffy Silverman, host of Poetry Friday, for her interesting science-literacy post. I plan on making the rounds this weekend.